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Shaking Things Up With a Shaker Update for a Connecticut Kitchen

My client Todd Zitzkat, owner of Simone Development, LLC, is a contractor out on the east coast. He specializes in renovating homes with a focus on increasing energy efficiency.

I’ve worked with Todd a few times, including this complete home remodel in a rural, southern part of Connecticut. My job was to maximize the design of the space, while adhering to a strict budget.

Wide open spaces

The open floor plan connects the dining room to the kitchen.

The home’s original floorplan didn’t mesh well with today’s design expectations. To keep the space entertaining and family friendly, Todd favored an open layout. Cooking and dining go hand in hand, so I wanted to maintain this free-flowing feeling between the two spaces. The peninsula acts as a natural divider in addition to adding storage and countertop work areas.

We used the shaker-style Dayton cabinets in Painted Linen throughout the kitchen. A chalkboard was framed with trim and added to the end of the refrigerator cabinet for a decorative, interactive element all members of the family can enjoy.

It’s all about the extra details

The hood above the stove is completely custom and unique to this kitchen. I put together a plan using molding, trim, and filler pieces. Todd built the hood onsite, which was an economical way to disguise the hood with the same clean-lined style of the kitchen.

Beadboard paneling was applied to the back of the peninsula for visual detail. The vertical lines bring in another element to complement the horizontal tiles and lines of the flooring. Crown molding and base trim on the island tie the cabinets in the space.

Functional work triangle

The sink was placed in front of the window overlooking the backyard and deck area. Easy-reach cabinets surround the sink and give deep storage options below the counter.

I positioned a glass feature cabinet above the peninsula for a nice display area. Wood shelves were replaced with glass for extra texture and flavor without increased clutter.

Decorative touches

On the end of the peninsula, we incorporated a bookshelf in place of a 12″-wide cabinet. It provides storage but in a more decorative manner than typical base cabinetry.

When I design a kitchen, I like to keep the microwave hidden but accessible. In this kitchen, it’s framed into the cabinetry to the right of the refrigerator. This way it looks built in and doesn’t disrupt the look of the kitchen.

Inset bath vanities

The cherry inset vanity is the perfect complement to the white shaker kitchen.

In two quaint half-baths, like this one on the main floor, we used the Fairmont inset cabinets in Cherry Russet. This style is more formal and gives a higher-end, custom look. The rich, dark grain provides a nice a contrast to the clean, white lines in the kitchen. But, as you can see, white beadboard was used again to create continuity.

For both the kitchen and the baths, it’s the sum of the details that makes the spaces great.

Wow…What a beautiful kitchen you have. And most which I liked is the shaker-style Dayton cabinets and I think this will be the best suited for my kitchen too so when I do remodel my kitchen then will surely installed these cabinets in my kitchen.